A Twist of Fate
by Lhee
Summary: When an unexpected visitor comes into the Goblin King's care, will lingering and confused feelings spark? Will these potential star-crossed lovers survive amongst the plague that not only threatens their lives, but the existence Labyrinth as well?
1. Bittersweet Musings

**"Away to the Labyrinth Once Again"**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, except for Cliona. They are the works of the late Jim Henson, a man I have a great respect for. Enjoy!

Chapter One: Bittersweet Musings

Way up high, in the tallest tower of his castle in the Goblin City; Jareth, the Goblin King, had a lot on his mind. Not that this was anything relatively new, of course. It had been seven long, lonely years since the defeat of him and his castle. Not that any of his subjects, the goblins, were any the wiser for it. They were capable of simple tasks, but still far too naive to believe that their seemingly all-powerful king could possibly have a weakness, and at that for it to be a mortal girl. "I still rule, I have everything I have ever desired... except..." The Goblin King shuddered to even think about her. His weakness, his Archilles' heel, his oe vulnerable area. Her. Seven years ago, from his perspective, she had cold-heartedly turned him down. He had offered her everything, her dreams, a new life, and even himself. But Jareth knew now, that she had still been a child, and could not be blamed entirely fot turning him down and ignoring his "advances".

She was in his thoughts very often nowadays; and he soon found himself spending more and more time alone in his conservatory, the one place that the goblins were unable to disturb him. Jareth frequently wondered if the outcome of the last few minutes of her time in the Labyrinth could have been different if she had entered the Labyrinth a few years older, a woman. Along with that thought, he gave a slight smile as he wondered what she may look like now. "No doubt stunning, I'm sure, she had been rather good-looking to begin with..." Suddenly, a faint sound came upon the breeze through the window, interrupting his thoughts. Jareth's head snapped up, for the near imperceptible noise had been his name being called, though as from a great distance, however. With a slight motion of his wrist, the Goblin King conjured a crystal, and peered into it. "No, it cannot be........ Sarah?" He released the crystal from his hand, and was gone from the room before it even hit the ground, and shattered.

Author's Note: Please reveiw! I absolutely love receiving input from readers, and believe it or not, if I like yaour idea enough, I'll use it! (with your permission) :) I know that this first chapter is short, and I sincerely promise that future chapters will be longer! (I have some written already, so I can assure you with confidence, LOL)


	2. T'was a Dark and Stormy Night

As young Sarah Williams drove down the dark, overgrown highway, she silently reflected on the last month's occurrences. It had been an unimaginably horrible month for her, indeed. Her father and stepmother had been killed in a car accidenton the very road that she now, with much difficulty, attempted to navigate..And what was worse, her little brother, Toby, had been killed along with them. Sarah had grown quite close with Toby following their trip to the Labyrinth; it was as if he knew that no harm would ever come to him when he was with her.

She, however, had not been in the car that terrible night. Sarah had been out on a date that night, with a young police officer. While eating dinner, he received a very urgent call on his radio, and asked Sarah if she would mind tagging along. "Sure," she recalled herself saying, "I don't mind at all."The rain poured as they neared the accident, and it was then that Sarah realized that the make of the car mentioned on the radio was the same as her parents' car. She sat gripping the edge of the seat as the police car came to a stop. She glanced out her window. Same color as well. She shakily got out of the car, and walked to the front of the car. Same license plate. Then she saw them. Two people, lying in the road, covered by sheets.

Sarah started sobbing at this point, and looked around frantically for Toby. "If there are only two bodies, and Toby was with them, he must be here, alive, he must!" Sarah ran to the front of the car, and upon reaching it, screamed. There lied a small sheet, with her baby brother beneath it. Realizing her distress, weveral officers ran to her side, berrating her with questions. As she sobbed, she managed to studder out "They--they're my family!" Becoming furtherly hysterical at this point, one officer made a small gesture to another. An officer came over with a needle, and told Sarah that she needed to calm down, and that the valium in the needle would help her to do so. Sarah winced as she felt a small sharp prick in her arm, then her memory grew significantly hazy.

Sarah then returned her full focus to the road, and sighed. Her destination was the old family cottage, to just escape for a while. Her boss had called the house constantly, asking her when she's be back to work. Finally, Sarah had gotten very irritated, and told him that she quit, and to shove the job in a place where the sun most certainly does not shine. She planned only to stay a week or two, just to compose herself, and to try to pull the broken peices of her life back together. As large drops of rain began to fall from the sky, a very exasperated Sarah cried out, "Great, just great... as if being on this road isn't horrible enough, the weather is the same as that damn night as well! At this comment, a loud clap of thunder sounded, thouroughly shaking the land beneath and around Sarah's car. Suddenly, a deer came darting out of the woods, startling her as she struggled to keep from hitting the poor creature. In doing so, Sarah's car swerved to the right, and plowed headfirst into a large tree.

As she desperately tried to remain conscious, Sarah managed ro stumble out of the car, fearful that it may explode from the severe impact of the collision. She hadn't gotten very far before her knees gave out from beneath her, and she fell to the ground. Her head pounded, her ankle was tucked at a funny angle, and blood poured copiously out of her shoulder; where she was just realizing had been pierced with what was once actually a piece of her car at one point. As she lie there bleeding, numerous thoughts ran through her head. Firstly, that she was dying very nearly the same way the rest of her family had. Secondly, though, she though of her dreams. For the last seven years, the time it had been since she had taken a "trip" to the Labyrinth, she had dreamt of primarily one thing. Him. She was unable to forget those icy-blue mis-matched eyes, and the surreal grip that he held on her mind, her very soul. "How can this be happening..." thought Sarah, "I'm lying here, in the middle of the night, no one knows where I am... and all that I can think about is the Goblin King..."

Sarah coughed, and experienceing the metallic taste of blood in her mouth, knew that she would not be getting up to walk to the nearest fuel station. Which would have been a waste to try, anyway, there wasn't one for at least 20 miles both ways. As Sarah's breathing grew increasingly weak anf ragged, the world seemed to begin to grow black around her. Mere seconds before passing out entirely, she whispered the name of the one person that was alive that mattered to her. "Jareth..."

A/N: There, that brings you up to speed a bit. Sorry to make the first chapter so short before, I wanted only Jareth's perspective before I explained Sarah's. And note to all, leaving reveiws makes me oh-so-happy. It's a simple pleasure, really. Constructive crticism welcome.


	3. The King's Return to Be a Gentleman 2 in...

Chapter Three: The King's Return; to Be a Gentleman (2 in 1)

Due to the fact that she was unconscious, Sarah failed to notice that the Goblin King had appeared just a few yards away. Jareth simply stared in awe for a few seconds, not beleiving who lie before him."It cannot be... what could have made her call me to her, after all these years? And, what is she doing here in the middle of nowhere? Jareth took and few steps closer, and knelt down by her side. "Oh, God..." Jareth cursed as he realized not only was Sarah unconscious, she was bleeding; and very profusely at that. Sensing that Sarah was barely alive, he had to make a decision. "If I leave her here, her death shall be imminent," he began. "However, If I bring her back..." Jareth stopped at that thought, and told himself that her life was worth anything. Absolutley anything to him. Concluding that she must not be left there, Jareth carefully lifted Sarah into his arms. Blood flowed freely onto his clothes, but the usually vain Goblin King cared only that the bleeding showed to signs of ceasing anytime soon. Jareth frowned, noticing that Sarah hadn't even stirred upon being moved. With another simple flick of his wrist, the Goblin King disappeared. Only this time, he had a passenger.

Upon ariving back at the Castle, Jareth sent out orders to all whom he could find, though the goblins were unusually scarce. "You there! Get bandages; and you, hot water and soap! All whom fail to complete their orders will have a lovely vacation for eternity in the bog of stench! Still gingerly carrying Sarah in his arms, as if she were a precious porcelain doll, Jareth quickly walked to the nearest bedchamber. After placing her gently on the bed, he stepped back, trying to evaluate her health. This proved to be one of the few times in his life so far that Jareth would admit that he needed help. It wasn't that he was unable to asess her health and injuries. He knew that if he even attempted to examine her, and by chance she were to awaken, she would kill him. Or try to, at least, Jareth's immortality protected him from such attacks. "Cliona," Jareth called softly, "I request your assistance here..." Before he had had a chance to attempt to reach at least some level of composure, Cliona appeared with a puff of smoke.

Now, had Sarah been actually awake to see this sight, she would most likely have gone into a futher state of shock. This is because Cliona wasn't exactly... human. With her large violet eyes, thick green-tinted skin, and tail, she was all but human. Cliona was a half-breed, one half human, and one half dragon. Upon seeing his reliable confidant, Jareth breathed a sigh of relief. Jareth then bit hs lip slightly, and looked back and forth from Sarah to Cliona. Knowing full well what the he was thinking (That Sarah, when, or if, she were to awaken, would be shocked enough to find herself in the underground, let alone under the care of a dragon.), Cliona simply smiled and stated "Your Majesty, you need not worry." Then, with a slow blink of her eyes, Cliona transformed herself into a more normal-looking person, who appeared to be middle aged. The only real give away was her set of eternally violet eyes.

Following Cliona's transformation to a more "acceptable" state, she rushed to Sarah's side. "I would like to stay," Jareth began, "But we both know that if Sarah found out, that it would be very unpleased." Cliona nodded her head silently at this, and grimly continued to examine Sarah. Not wanting to leave, but kowing that he must, Jareth's melancholy gaze landed on Sarah. "Should she die," he thought, "I don't think that I will be able to live; knowing that I would never again have the chance to see her face, or hold her, or..." Jareth was perhaps on the verge of a slight smirk in response to where his thoughts were leading him, when a burly looking goblin burst though the door, quite out of breath. quick... other goblins being real sick-like" the goblin managed to studder out. Jareth glanced back at Cliona, who didn't even give him a glance, for she was too busy trying to keep Sarah from bleeding even more. Jareth was overwhelmed. "I have just about no pity for the goblins right now, tell all those who are 'ill' to take the rest of the day off, if they must. I'll deal with them all later..."

Sarah opened her eyes slowley, and found herself in complete darkness. "What happened...where am I...?" she wondered silently. Upon trying to sit up, she discovered that doing so caused writhing pain in her shoulders and chest. Screaming out, Sarah fainted. Hearing her cries, Jareth thought to simply appear in her room, for it would be thefastest way; but gave it a quick second thought and decided that it would be too much for her. He settled on walking to her room, which was only down the hall from his own. After entering the room, Jareth's heart skipped a beat. Or several, rather. His precious Sarah lied as though teetering once again on the brink of death, pale as a ghost. Seeing that she was bleeding freshly, he went immediatley to her bedside and slowly started applying more gauze. However, he found it quite difficult to do so and avert his eyes at the same time, so once again, Cliona was summoned in the middle of the night.

With the familiar puff of smoke, Cliona appeared beside Jareth. "You're going to have to be a gentleman --somehow-- and care for her yourself. Nearly every goblin in the castle has fallen ill, some sort of epidemic, I suppose. I'm not sure whether Sarah is immune to it or not, and even whether your immortality will protect you from it. Although, Jareth, Sarah has been here for three days, there are a mere ten left until-" Jareth cut her off. "I am well aware of what could occur if she were to remain thirteen days! How is it possible that _all_ of the goblins are sick?!" proclaimed Jareth in a forced whisper, his very well-known temper flaring up a bit. Cliona, quite used to this, simply continued "Yes, they are indeed _all_ ill, and they have been quarantined to the west wing. However, they need my attention on a day-to-day basis. I cannot risk spreading the disease to yourself and Sarah. I am immune to the disease, I will remain in the west wing with them, and care for them." Jareth failed to calm down, and hissed through his teeth "_All_ of them?!"

At this, Sarah stirred slightly and let out a whimper in the bed. Cliona stepped forward and looked the Goblin King square in the eyes. A bold move for anyone, even his closest and only friend. "If you care about her the way I think you do, and if you wish for her to live, you will find a way to control yourself and care for her. And if you wish to ever gain her respect, love, and trust, you will learn to control that temper of yours. I know that you are well capable of caring for her. Perhaps as much so as myself. Do the right thing, Jareth. You have been given a second chance. Don't lose her this time." said Cliona with both irritation and care in her voice. With another puff of smoke, Cliona was gone. Jareth then turned back to Sarah, knowing that he was on his own.


	4. Cliona's Lecture

Author's Note: Help!!! I need to write longer chapters, more chapters, because I've been combining the chapters I already have written to satisfy all of your desires for longer chapters, and anyone have suggestions for where they would like this story to go?!

AND I WILL BE UPDATING MORE FREQUENTLY! I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THE HUGE, UNDENIABLE DELAY!!!!!!!! IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!

**Chapter Four: Cliona's Lecture**

The sun was shining through the window as Sarah opened her eyes. She glanced around, not wanting to sit up, remembering the pain of trying to do so last night. She now figured that she could be dead, because she still ached all over.

"Where am I... and how did I get here...?" She wondered aloud.

"You're in my castle, that's where. You were in quite the accident involving your vehicle."

Sarah froze at hearing this.

"No," she thought to herself, "It can't be him, that's ridiculous."

Sarah slowly rolled onto the side of her body that was the least injured, and first looked at the floor.

"Okay, riding boots," she said. "Vaguely familiar." Allowing her gaze to continue upward, Sarah continued. "Tights...well, britches, I suppose..."

Realizing that only one person would ever wear pants that tight, and she just who that person was, a very stunned Sarah needed look no further.

"You--You're the Goblin King!" Sarah exclaimed.

"If I remember correctly, thats the first thing you managed to say the first time we met, as well..." calmly stated Jareth.

"This can't be real... It isn't possible... What the hell am I doing here, Goblin King?! How long have i been here, and what have you done to me?!" retorted an startled and irritated Sarah, who at this point obviously failed to remember the events of the previous night. Seeing her obvious "distress", Jareth sought to soothe her nerves the only way the man/Fae knew how. He sat carefully behind her, and leaned in close, very close indeed. Hearing Sarah's breath quicken, Jareth couldn't help but grin wickedly as he gingerly brushed her hair out of her face. With his face only inches away from her own, he whispered to her

"I assure you... this _is_ quite real... as soon as you are well enough, we shall have dinner and a long conversation, i can imagine, concerning why you are here." With that final note, the Goblin King vanished, and Sarah's hazel eyes willed with tears.

Jareth sat alone in his royal bedchamber for several hours following Sarah's outburst.

"I don't understand, what could i have possible done to make her cry? I have yet to meet a mortal woman who can resist a Fae's charm, especially me..." Seeing a wisp of smoke across the room in the mirror before him, Jareth turned around to see Cliona standing there.

"So, you have decided that you were unjust in leaving me to care for Sarah alone, then," inquired Jareth. With fire flashing in her violet eyes, Cliona replied hotly

"I was there for your birth. I raised you. I know you better than anyone else, perhaps even yourself. I know for a fact that you are more than capable for caring for her until she is healed completely. However, I also know that you already care for her, on a different level. Don't rush her. There is an intense sorrow in her past of which you know nothing. Befriend her first, or she will only resent you later. Try to spend more time with her talking, get to know her, eat you meals with her. Get to know her as a person. Only when you are a friend to her will she ever open up to you and see you as a man, not a monster." In a more gentle tone, Cliona added

"Don't worry, her health will improve with each passing day under your care. She is healing quite rapidly already, faster than I have ever witnessed in any mortal human, ever. She is quite the miracle, Jareth. The goblins, however, are another story. Many die each day, and many more infected each day. They need my care." Jareth merely nodded, still thinking about what he had been told concerning Sarah. Seeing this, Cliona knew that she needed to grasp his attention.

"I will return as soon as I can, but it may be several weeks. I cannot risk possibly infecting your lady." said Cliona, looking into Jareth's eyes, making sure he was listening. the Goblin King smiled at her reference to Sarah as "his lady". He loved the way it sounded.

"I could get used to that," he thought aloud. Cliona gave him a look that was somehow thoughtful and sincere at the same time. With a wane smile, Jareth stated

" I know, she does not belong to me, I will somehow manage to behave my charming Fae

self." Cliona simply smiled at him and vanished. As Jareth walked toward the throne room, the only words uttered by him were

"Well, not just yet, anyway..."

A/N: Suspenceful, huh? I have more written, but to get it, y'all must REVIEW, SVP!!!


	5. Decisions, Decisions

A/N: See? I told you I would be better about updating more frequently. Please reveiw, it makes this little author chickie so happy!!! I hope that all of you are enjoying the story so far! Once again, I only have another half-chapter pre-written after this, (I was stuck in a hurricane in florida in late sugust, no power for three days, I wrote my fae butt off, the old- fashioned way, pen and paper, folks) :) Any suggestions about where you guys want this story to go? Email me, or IM me, or reveiw, SVP!!!

**Chapter Five: Decisions, Decisions...**

As Sarah laid in her bed staring at the ceiling, she wondered how much time had passed since the Goblin King's visit to her room.

"Is this even my room," she wondered aloud.

"This could be _his_ room for all I Know..."  
Sarah's ponderings were interrupted by the angry rumblings of her stomache. Upon realizing that the throbbing in her head was gone entirely, Sarah wondered if Jareth had actually been _helping_ her. On that thought, who should enter the room, but the Goblin King himself.

"Good evening, Sarah," Jareth began. I thought that you'd might desire some dinner, you havent eaten since your arrival last night, and--"

"Wait a minute," Sarah interjected, "How exactly did I get here, Jareth..?"

"I wasnt aware that you knew my name..." said the Goblin King softly, in a manner that was quite unlike his usual stoney demeanor.

"Yes, I know it.... Hoggle used it a few times... is it alright that I call you that," Said Sarah with an air of uncertainty. Realizing that she had been uncertain, she continued in her own natural demeanor. Defiance.

"I mean, i wouldnt want to _insult_ my...." Sarah cocked her head to the side, wondering exactly what Jareth was to her at the moment. "Kidnapper;" she continued. "I wouldnt want to be thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench. Again." Jareth, finding this small outburst of defiance quite humourous, threw his head back and laughed. This startled Sarah a bit. "This isnt right," she thought to herself. "He isnt supposed to be this... humane...."

"Yes, I suppose that t is alright that you call me Jareth for now. And, just for the record, you didn't actually fall in the Bog itself the first time... Sarah, I was wondering how you are feeling today."

"I feel okay, but I havent really been moving around very much. I vaguely remember tring to last night, and my shoulder is still sore from that. How hurt am I, really?" inquired Sarah.

"You were very badly injured, Sarah, had you not been brought back to the Labyrinth, your death would have been imminent... Your shoulder, it was pierced with a rod of some sort... Your ankle is broken in two places, and your head was cut rather badly." Hearing this, Sarah felt her face softly.

"Not a scratch," Jareth said. "You are healing at a rate that is entirely unheard of for a mortal. Not even I know how, or even why. Your shoulder will still be very tender for a bit, and your ankle is in a cast. Still, you are quite the miracle to behold, Sarah." At this comment, Sarah blushed.

"...Thank you," she began. "I suppose I owe you an apology, then..."

"You're most welcome, and it is nice to have another person in the castle to talk to. The goblins are not the best conversationalists, and it _does_ get lonely here." Sarah was just beginning to silently ponder the many possible levels of Jareth's loneliness when he began

"You have yet to eat, let me get us some dinner..."

Sarah watched, rather amused, as the Golin King conjured a crystal and repeatedly tried to find a single goblin in the castle. Upon failing to do so, Jareth suddenly remembered the epidemic and quarantine of the goblins.

"What's wrong," inquired Sarah, "Arent there usually dozens of them running amok in the castle?" Not wanting to worry her, Jareth simply stated

"Oh, they must be busy off doing their chores and such...I'll simply go down to the kitchens and get us some dinner." With that, Jareth formed a crystal and was gone before Sarah could even blink.

"Now when," though Sarah, "Has Jareth _ever_ been a gentleman? I mean, he was kind of well, weird, before, but now he seems.... nice? Though, it did seem like he was going to try something last night, or this morning, rather, leaning in like that, the first time I've seen the guy in seven years! He doesnt look even a second older... he doesn't look bad, either... not many men can pull off the whole "Look at my 'mightiness', I can wear britches and still retain my masculinity" look..." Sarah's eyes widened as she quickly realized where her thoughts were going.

"No," she thought wildly, "I can't let myself feel like that... he's the one who took Toby from me..." part of her said. But, the other side went "He had to, and I got Toby back didnt I? He seems alright now, he saved my life, she deserves a second chance... and wouldnt Toby want me to be happy?" Sarah sighed, she missed her baby brother, his baby blue eyes, his soft golden curls. Sarah often thought of him, and her father and Karen, as well. It was still hard for her to believe that she ould never see them again. They were all she had in the aboveground. "Why bother going back," she wondered. "I'd have no one to go back to..." Sarah sighed again, more heavily.

"I suppose since I still have no idea how I got here, and no idea of wether i can even leave or not, I'd better give him a chance. After all, it seems as if we've both matured quite a bit since our last meeting. I even said the last words, rejecting all that he offered me, including himself, and he's giving me a chance. As her thoughts drifted back to Toby for the moment, she recalled that he didnt have a scratch on his after returning from the labyrinth. In fact, he had seemed happier after returning home... Or was that just because he was glad to be home surrounded my family, and not goblins?"

Sarah heard footsteps down the hall, and knew that she needed to make a decision. Was Jareth, the King of the Goblins, a friend, or a foe?

A/N: OOH!!!! Cliffhanger!!! I luv the suspence. I hope all of you do too. :)


	6. The Petulant Creature

A/N: I have been very, very bad. I am sincerely sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I sincerely hope that it will not happen again. I had some personal problems that had to come first, and I was forced to take a few months off from writing. This will not happen again, because taking time off is simply not my style. I have started writing again, as you can see, because with my last update my back-catalog of chapters writtenwas used up! I know this chapter is short, but there will be more! At this point i will stop chattering and start again with the disclaimer!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the pants on my butt. Oh, and Cliona. (wink).

Chapter Six

As the pace of the footsteps down the hall quickened, Sarah knew that she must make a decision, and quickly.

"I must admit, he has treated me pretty well overall, even if I think he did come kind of close to sexual harassment the other night…" she thought. "But then again, he did kidnap Toby…but really only because I had asked him to! Oh, I'll never come up with an answer, it isn't fair!"

Sarah had no choice but to stop arguing with herself, as the doorknob to her room was beginning to turn. Knowing that she had mere seconds left to decide, she decided to try to let her instincts decide for her, wondering what the first thought in her head would be upon speaking his name.

"Jareth…" she whispered aloud quickly to herself and much to her surprise, the first thing that came to mind was the near-kissing incident from the other night. She could still feel his warm breath on her neck, his lips so close to her own… Sarah quickly returned to reality when she realized that someone, not Jareth, _was_ roughly breathing next to her.

Slowing turning her head to the side, out of fear of her shoulder smarting again, and seeing what was actually next to her; Sarah's eyes snapped open to reveal the horrible, petulant creature standing at her bedside. Rough, scaly skin, armor rusted with what to Sarah's horror appeared to be blood, and yellow bloodshot eyes stared back at her.

Now, keep in mind that Sarah had seen much scarier things during her first trip to the Labyrinth, but considering the fact that she was currently finding herself to be unable to defend herself, she had no choice to do what the rest of us would do in this type of situation. Scream at the top of our lungs.

Jareth's head turned sharply in the direction of the door of his study upon hearing a scream. "That's unusual…" he thought …"SARAH!"

MORE COMING SOON!!! JUICYJUICYFLUFFINESS COMING SOON TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU!!!


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